Stephen Harper and Jason Kenney

Jason Kenney: Conservative MP Costas Menegakis, parliamentary secretary to the minister of citizenship and immigration. , according to CBC. Since Jason Kenney, then immigration minister, first issued a policy directive on the subject in December 2011, the government has variously argued that banning face covering garments during citizenship ceremonies is necessary to ensure would-be citizens actually recite the oath and to reflect the Canadian values of openness, transparency and gender equality at the moment they join the Canadian family. "I think for the citizenship ceremony, someone needs to identify themselves. We need to know who they are." Debate has been raging on Parliament Hill over the niqab worn by some Muslim women ever since Prime Minister Stephen Harper declared last month that it "offensive" to cover one face while taking the oath of Canadian citizenship. 'Barbaric cultural practice bill all about politics, Elizabeth May says Will Stephen Harper regret remark on niqabs? Niqab controversy: Stephen Harper, Justin Trudeau wade into culture war over the veil (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.